Comfortably Productive

Hone Your General Office Skills to Become an Office Star

Working in an office can require some very specific skills. Though no formal education is required to become an office assistant, you should have the deftness and agility to complete delegated tasks efficiently. General office workers perform a variety of tasks within an office environment in accordance with the guidelines specified by the Office Manager or supervisor.

An office assistant is required to perform a diverse number of tasks that can include filing, keyboarding, data entry; operating office equipment such as photocopiers and fax machines; preparing and writing mailings; proofreading documents; keeping payroll records; taking inventory, accessing information; answering telephones and delivering messages.

In broader terms, a general office worker needs to multitask in order to ensure the smooth running of an office. Their specific duties will depend upon the type of office in which they work and the level of experience they have.

In addition to the skills listed above, general office workers should be able to receive and understand directions. They should be detail oriented, adaptable and possess excellent communication skills in order to communicate with people working at all levels, from upper management to administrative assistants to other general office workers. An office worker should have basic knowledge of computers and software such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentation and other business software, as the assistant will need to be proficient with data entry, updating computer records, inputting sales orders, customer payments and updating inventory records.

Though the job of an office assistant does not require any sort of formal training, employers prefer to hire candidates with formal education above the high school level in addition to providing them with on-the-job training. Training is, however, provided and easily accessible in community and junior colleges, and postsecondary vocational schools.

Individuals with the ability to multitask and handle the needs of various departments within the same company have the best growth opportunities. They may be promoted to supervisory positions, and more senior administrative jobs, such as secretary, or administrative assistant.

General office assistants can find employment in every sector of the economy. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics job opportunities for general office clerks are expected to grow on par with the average for all careers through 2018. However, their salaries and benefits will vary widely, depending upon the type of job, employer, and the location of their work.

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Jenna Fischer Office Skills

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